Watch: Phantom Elbow Gets Austin Rivers Ejected

I don’t know how many times I have to say this until the message is received — fans do not attend games in order to see referees make calls. No one is there to see the refs. In fact, the best games are the ones where we barely even realize that there are referees calling the game. 

As I’ve sat and watched the NCAA Tournament over the past two weeks, I’ve found myself gaining a new respect for NBA officials, as the college game can be frustrating at times. 

Thankfully, Wednesday night’s debacle in Indianapolis was a friendly reminder that NBA officials will continue to drive me crazy for years to come. 

In the fourth quarter of the Denver Nuggets versus Indiana Pacers game, Nuggets guard Austin Rivers was ejected after picking up his second technical foul for throwing an elbow at Pacers guard Lance Stephenson. 

The problem? The elbow never connected with Stephenson. 

Austin Rivers got a tech and was ejected for faking an elbow at Lance Stephenson. pic.twitter.com/oLlV2jAm4W

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 31, 2022

The play was reviewed by the officials, and even after clearly seeing that no contact was made, Rivers was assessed a second technical foul and ejected from the game. Rivers and Stephenson had a dust up earlier in the fourth quarter, with double technicals being assessed. 

After the game, Rivers took to social media to express his displeasure with the call. 

Never in my life have I been thrown out of Game for something so ridiculous. Seriously…never😂. League gotta look at this one.

— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) March 31, 2022

Even Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant couldn’t believe the call. 

This is embarrassing https://t.co/eGA8epyrSj

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 31, 2022

According to Mike Singer of the Denver Post, Nuggets Head Coach Mike Malone told reporters after the game that he was told by officials that the play was deemed a “malicious act.” 

Denver won the game 125-118, despite blowing a 31-point lead. The Nuggets held a 43-15 lead after the first quarter, but entered the fourth quarter tied 91-91, and the Pacers held a 102-100 lead in the fourth quarter. MVP candidate Nikola Jokic had 37 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists on the night. The win moves the Nuggets to 46-31 on the season, and into the fifth spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. 

“I talked to our team today, I said, ‘We win the game tonight, we’re in fifth place,’” Malone said. “I’m not worried about Utah’s losing five in a row, Golden State … (It’s) us. Controlling your own destiny. … Like I keep on saying, you don’t want to go down to the last few games of the season hoping and praying that somebody else is going to do something for you. The best thing in life is do it your d*** self. Take care of your own business. And if you do that, you don’t have to sweat every other game that’s going on in the NBA.”

Denver faces the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and have five games remaining on their regular season schedule.

Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].

The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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